Technical Abstract:
The projected demand for industrial and automotive lubricants in the U.S. is ~2.6 billion gallons by 2017, where bio-based lubricants will play an increasing role, from a share of 0.6% today to a possible 1.2% by 2017. This is accompanied by the expected price increase to >$7.00/gallon which will give ample opportunity for profit in this area.
Our new lubrication fluids are made from vegetable oil-derived methyl oleate through a simple chemical process. The performance of these materials is superior to that of many mineral oil-based lubricants, as measured by bench tests. For example, when used as an additive in hexadecane solution, the overall coefficient of friction can be reduced by nearly a factor of four. However, the materials still display oxidation stability much greater than that of other biobased fluids. This technology has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of lubrication due to its probable biodegradability and low toxicity, which is especially of importance in environmentally sensitive areas such as forestry. Additionally, it will be a beneficial market for soybean oil, with a potentially greater profit margin, as compared to biodiesel.